Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental. If you’re looking for a real off-roader, choices are becoming fewer, even in Europe. The Russian […]

December 10, 2010 AT 4:36 PM
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Jens Meiners

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Each week, our German correspondent slices and dices the latest rumblings, news, and quick-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline may say Jens Meiners, but we simply call him . . . the Continental.

If you’re looking for a real off-roader, choices are becoming fewer, even in Europe. The Russian Lada Niva manages to be crude and unreliable at the same time, the classic Land Rover (aka Defender) is slow as molasses with its 120-hp, 2.4-liter turbo-diesel. Of course, you can always spend thrice—or, compared to the Niva, seven times—the money for a Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen (or G-class, as it is now called by the brand’s marketing guys). Developed in the 1970s and launched in 1979 with military applications in mind, the Austrian-built G-wagen used to be one of the purest no-nonsense off-roaders on the market.

But it’s not what it used to be anymore. With its rugged heritage, the G was bound to become a fashion statement. And that, unfortunately, means that marketing guys have convinced engineers to soften it to an astonishing extent. In fact, the G350 BlueTec I’m testing right now, is nice and quiet even as you cruise the left lane at 110 mph. I’ll write more about it in a few weeks, but I already don’t like the fact that its cockpit tries to integrate 1990s jellybean switches, circa-2000 instrumentation, and a 2010 nav system into a 1980s dashboard. Moreover, it’s so plush that you feel as though you should take off your shoes before stepping in. Nice—if you’re looking for a German Escalade.

Some customers are not, and so it’s a good thing that Mercedes-Benz—by popular demand, as it admits—launched the G300 CDI Professional this year. It’s a bare-bones version that looks almost exactly like the G-wagen as it was launched 31 years ago. Powered by a modern 181-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 diesel mated to a five-speed automatic, it can reach 100 mph. It has 16-inch steel wheels and a number of useful options, such as a front hood modified so you can walk on it, a wooden floor for the luggage compartment, and a minus-30-degree cold-weather package.

Information on the G300 CDI Professional is well hidden on Merc’s German website. It’s my favorite G, and it comes in at around €65,000, compared to over €80,000 for the softer G350 BlueTec. And no, I don’t think it will be exported to the U.S.—unless the Marine Corps orders a few more Interim Fast Attack Vehicles.

VW Rules and Divides

Porsche and Audi have been competing for design leadership of several new platforms. It now emerges that Porsche, led by former VW product strategist Matthias Müller, has been awarded the leadership for the modular standard platform, which forms the basis for the next Porsche Panamera and Bentley models. Porsche will also be responsible for mid-engine sports cars within the VW Group. Audi retains leadership for the modular-longitudinal platform, which spans from the A4 to the A8, and will also form the basis for the upcoming compact Porsche SUV (internally called Cajun). The move coincides with the installation of VW’s chief powertrain executive, Wolfgang Hatz, as the successor of Porsche R&D chief Wolfgang Dürheimer.

Porsche is under VW’s control, but it is definitely not being sidelined. Audi, on the other hand, needs to fight to retain its role as everybody’s favorite boy in the VW Group.

Ford’s Platform Strategy Claims Victim

Launched in the spring of 2008 at the Geneva auto show, the European-market Ford Kuga appears to have prematurely had its days numbered. Its successor is expected to be shown at the Detroit auto show next month and it will, in accordance with the “One Ford” strategy, become a global vehicle, leaving no more room for the Kuga. By 2012, the current car will be history. Its place in Ford’s Saarlouis, Germany, factory will be occupied by derivatives of the Focus.

Ford is serious about bringing its global platforms together. The new Fiesta, the 2012 Focus, and the upcoming Fusion/Mondeo/Lincoln MKZ are the most significant examples. The company has tried it before with limited success, e.g. with the 1980s Escort, or with the 1990s Contour/Mondeo/Mystique. But with the converging demands of the global markets, the strategy could finally work out.

Little Kia Comes to Geneva

Kia’s tiniest model, the silly-looking Picanto, will thankfully be replaced at the Geneva auto show next March. The first renderings released by the company hint at a minicar with a far more grown-up styling language.

The Grandfather of the Hatchbacks Turns 45

With Audi’s Sportback models, the hatchback is making a grand return onto the automotive stage. Few remember the car that triggered the trend: the Renault 16, which is now turning 45. Launched in 1965, it was called a “slap in the face for German engineering” by car magazines here. The car was briefly sold in the U.S., and it deserves to be remembered for its handling, flexibility, and overall style.